His Chosen Wife

Chapter 3

Charles called her for dinner. The old man was alone at the dining table with twelve chairs in length. She couldn't understand why rich people wanted such a huge house when there were only a few people who lived there. She also wanted to get rich and have a nice house, but not so big that people who lived here almost didn’t see each other anymore, especially when busy at work.

She indeed wanted to become rich. When she became Axel’s girlfriend, it was already in her plan to have a decent and huge house. It has four rooms, a garage, and even a small garden. But not a mansion, with a single room that is bigger than the apartment she and her mother are renting right now.

"Have a seat, Miss Camille. Nick will not be here and he will be home near a wake-up call."

She somehow managed to breathe a sigh of relief. She was hungry because she had her last meal at eleven o'clock. Now it's almost eight o'clock in the evening. If she could have a meal with Axel’s snobbish brother, she wouldn't be able to eat well.

She started to eat while some helpers were still busy putting the other dishes on the table.

"What do you do for a living?"

"I just graduated from college last month, s-sir. I have been offered jobs, but I only had to take care of some important matters temporarily." She was stuttering when she thought about how she would address his father’s boyfriend. After all, the word "sir" is too formal. But it was too difficult to use Uncle because they had not yet accepted her.

"Where did you meet my son?"

"I used to work at AG Wines Co. as one of his clerks."

"Hmmm... Is that so? Do you think you know my son very well?"

"I believe that Axel has a good intention for me." She tried to smile. Although she doesn’t often get along with her boyfriend, she knows he’s just busy with his work. He always said that being a CEO of a big company is not a joke.

"Then, why didn't he tell you that he left for Europe with another woman?"

Her eyes gaze in surprise at the old man, wondering if he was joking.

"A-Axel is in Europe right now, sir?!"

"He is. And take note, I know that he is with his girlfriend right now even though it is wrong because he left his wife in this town."

"Wife?!" I don't think all the rumors will end in what Axel's father confesses to her.

"Now, tell me that you know my son very well. Are you two living in the same house?"

She never had another scoop of food in her shock. She drools at the delicious food being served and then is given a bomb in front of her to lose her appetite. She knew Axel's relatives might not like her because she was just poor compared to Griffin’s wealth. But his father will not make a story just to send her away. If he said earlier that Axel was married, it was probably true. Then his with another woman in Europe right now?

"Like what I’ve said earlier, I am not your son’s lover."

"It’s not just I’m trying to bad mouth my son to you, Camille. Even if you're the first woman to step into this house besides his wife, that doesn't mean he’ll take you seriously. I've already sent numerous messages to my son. I haven't received any reply from him. Do you think he'll fly back from Paris because he found out that you're here?"

That’s right. Axel will surely not come home, even though after knowing that she was in the mansion of the Griffin. And if it's true that he is a married man and flirting with another woman, she’s surely Axel won't like her to come see him and meet his father. It might unravel the truth that he’s cheating on his wife. But where is his wife?"

"His wife lives next to this property. Apparently, Axel didn't want to fix their marriage with his wife. I don't know why?"

She wanted to cry during that time for so many reasons. Axel fooled her. But if Axel lied to her about his true identity, then she would think about it later. Even though everything is painful, her biggest problem right now is her mother's health condition. All her hopes she had for Axel had faded away because of his father's confessions.

"If you're not pregnant, can you tell me why are you here, Miss Camille?"

Tears shed on her face for being hopeless to find a solution to her problem. She didn't know if she should talk about her mother’s health condition and if she didn’t have a clear relationship with Axel now.

"There's no need to talk about it, Mr. Griffin. If it’s okay, can someone drop me off in the entrance part of the estate tomorrow so I can go to the bus station."

"If money is your problem, why don't you tell me?" I can offer you a job you might consider."

"W-what job?"

"There's a lot of work you can do here on the estate, Camille."

She shook her head immediately. "I can't stay here for that long. I just asked a neighbor to watch over my mom in the hospital." She wanted to be more secretive, but she also wanted to explain why she suddenly appeared on the estate without Axel's permission. She didn't want the old man to think she was chasing after his son to marry her or anything.

"Your mom is in the hospital?"

"Yes, sir... She has a heart disease and needs urgent surgery."

"And you expect Axel to help you with that, is that so?"

"I-I would have asked him for a little help because we didn't have enough money for the surgery..." Her self-confidence was slowly waning. "I don't have a plan to be a gold digger to your son. Even if I had to pay for the rest of my life, If I could just save my mother's life."

"How much do you need?"

"I don't think I need to bother you with my problem, sir. And about Axel for having a wife, believe me, I didn't even know. He didn't tell me about it."

"I don't know if you're telling the truth. Can you give me the name of the hospital where your mom was admitted?"

She didn't want to think that his insulting her honesty. She doesn't lie and make stories just to get money. If she were the one to decide, she would not confess anything and just leave that place. But now that in their situation, she has no other options. If the old man had asked how much she needed, he might have an intention to help her.

“At New York-Presbyterian Hospital, the doctor said she needed urgent surgery as soon as possible."

"I'll see what I can do, Camille. Would you do anything for your mom’s sake?"

She seemed to understand the next thing he was going to say. The old man will offer her a big amount of money in exchange for her virginity. Axel said his mother had been gone for a long time because God took her early. And even if Axel's Dad had a cane, she certainly could still marry at least three women as young as her. The question is, can she stand having a relationship with an old man for the sake of her mom's safety?

"Go get some rest and don't think about your mom’s health condition," said Charles Griffin when they finished eating their dinner. "Give me her full name and the number of her room in the hospital. I've got people to arrange to get her immediately into the surgery. That's if you're telling the truth."

She was surprised by the old man’s quick decision to help her with her problem. She hasn't even been able to answer if she can do anything about what he wants her to do.

"How can I repay you, sir?"

"You'll find out tomorrow, young lady."

She was confused by the sudden change in Axel's father's behavior. If earlier she was a low-class woman who was chasing after her son, now a bit of formality has gone. She also heard he ordered the helper to provide what she needed. The helper led her back to her room gave her a robe and explained the part of the mansion as if she were an important guest.

After all, she barely couldn't sleep because she kept worrying about her mom and her relationship with Axel for a long time. That is why he never once introduced her to his friends. She didn't even know his relatives or even bring her to Florida for more than a year of their relationship. She didn’t know How Axel got away with it. She trusted too much.

The next day she woke up early, despite having only a few hours of sleep. Axel’s father was not in the dining room, or the living room. It was only six o’clock in the morning. Maybe the old man was still sleeping.

The helper showed her where to make her coffee. Everyone is busy taking care of the garden, preparing breakfast, and what else is going to do in that big house. She quietly makes her coffee. As she turned around to sit down on the table, the cup she was holding bumped into the man's stocky chest, which caused the man to scream because of the spilled hot liquid.

"Holy sh*t!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." She didn't know how to apologize to Nick. She wanted to wipe his clothes, but the man quickly turned away when he felt her breast.

"Stop!" he said with a demanding voice, then quickly turned and left the dining room. She was so embarrassed about what just happened, even though it was an accident. She was certain that he would be even more unfriendly to her. Especially when he found out that his father was planning to hit on her in return for her mother's surgery.

She leaned back against the chair and closed her eyes. She was in the middle of her dilemma right now and she wasn’t able to think properly. She asked God to give her a chance to save her mom there was no need to sell herself.

She had her breakfast alone because Charles Griffin always walked in the farm fields in the morning as an exercise. When she finished her breakfast, she went back to her room because she had nothing else to do. She called Mrs. Melissa, the one who watches over her mom, and asked about her mom’s health condition.

"Well, Camille, the doctors are already preparing her schedule because she's going to have her surgery tomorrow."

"What? But I haven't prepared any money yet," she opposed immediately.

"I thought it came from your boyfriend’s family. The money was handed to your mother by the man who came here. Well, he said he’s from the mansion of the Griffins."

"Who is that man?"

"He said his name is Armand. Axel is his boss, but Charles ordered him to take care of everything that your mom needs, whether it's financially or anything. How's the meeting with Axel?"

The neighbors also knew about Axel because she often talked about her boyfriend to them. But now it's Charles who's helping her, not Axel. He makes sure that she will agree to the given conditions when they talk again. Axel's father was cunning.

It was almost nine o'clock when the helper went upstairs again to her room because Sir Charles called her to the library. Her hand was shaking already while she was thinking about what her decision would be. Charles wasn't even half her age. How can she tolerate being with him every day if ever?

When she came to the library, the old man's face looked serious and then glanced at her. He just finished talking on the phone.

"I found out that you're telling the truth. My worker said that your mom will need to stay in the hospital for one to two weeks for observation after the surgery."

"Why are you doing this to help me, sir?" she asked boldly. "In return for what?"

"Have a seat first, Camille. I think you want to run away anytime."

It was true that she was afraid of the reciprocal of all the help she received from the old man. Not in this kind of scenario she was expecting to see when she decided to come here to look for Axel. She was still surprised by everything that was happening right now, including her boyfriend’s cheating on her.

She followed the old man’s command, especially since she felt her knees weaken. She looked at the door of the library that was closed. Anytime she can run into it.

"Please answer my question, sir. What is the reciprocal for helping me now?" She tried to show her courage despite the fear in her heart.

"I want you to marry my son."

"But you said Axel was married to another woman?"

"I am not referring to Axel. I want you to marry my other son, Nicholas."

"Sir?!" She was surprised by Charles's words. If earlier she had been thinking of marrying this old man, but now it would be his snobbish son. She didn't know if she would feel happy or annoyed. It’s Nicholas with no warm personality in his body the one she will marry?

"It is impossible that your other son might not like another woman, sir," she politely said. Even though he is a man full of grumpiness in his body, we can’t deny the fact that he is a good-looking man and a handsome man. He is a little taller than Axel, his skin is browner which gives more appeal to his stocky body. Even the way he stared at her melted her knees as well.

"Nicholas has no interest in marrying or engaging into a relationship, Camille. He thinks that he could manage this estate alone on his own. Like there’s no conflict of interest."

"Then he must be right. It was his life anyway. He has the right to decide whether he likes to marry or not."

"Do you still want to continue your mom’s surgery, Camille?" The old man furrowed his brow in exasperation. She hesitated but nodded instead. When she makes a mistake in her response, one phone call away from the old man at the hospital where her mother was admitted. Everything will stop all the things started by the nurses and doctors will stop.

"A-alright, sir... I'm going to marry N-nick..." The young man's name got stuck in her throat.